PvP Explained in Once Human

✓ At a glance

• PvP modes are in Once Human.
• Players can select PvE or PvP servers.
• PvP and PvE servers have different rules for PvP engagement.
• All players need to be flagged with Chaos mode to engage in PvP
• Certain events and map locations will automatically flag you for Chaos mode.
• You drop loot on death, with more loot dropping on death the more you die.

PvP-focused games offer players a varied and immersive playstyle in games. There are risks to player bases, running around maps and doing quests, along with other world map objectives. While there can be quite a lot of fun, it is not everyone’s cup of team. If you’re more of a PvE player, then there’s peace and quiet for you if you want it. However, there are a few major things to note if you want to completely engage with the system or hide from it as much as possible. Here’s everything you need to know about PvP in Once Human and how it works.

Once Human’s PvP explained

Before selecting a server to play on in Once Human there are a few things to note:

• Create a character on a PvE or PvP server.
• Toggle the Chaos mode on your character to engage with PvP. Hold P on PC to enable it – check your keybindings in case you changed that key to something else.
• There are PvP events that take place for large resources or base attacks on both servers.
• Repeatedly dying while in PvP will slowly cause more and more of your loot to drop on death.  

The first thing to mention is there’s a notable difference with PvP depending on the server type. All servers have access to the Chaos mode, which is a toggle you can set for your character to enter a PvP mode. While in the mode, the rules of engagement change depending on the server. On PvE servers, you can only PvP with players with Chaos mode enabled too. If you’ve played New World then you’ll recognise how that system can look.

While you’re in Chaos mode, you essentially have a Chaos meter, which allows you to stay in PvP the more you engage with the mode. Once you start failing, then you will come out of Chaos mode. This gives room for PvP servers to have those crazy moments of intense action before it expires and there’s a semblance of peace appearing. Players under level 10 are immune to the effects of the mode. It stops low-level grieifing in lower-level areas on PvP Servers.

The developers, Starry Studio also added Contested areas to the map. These areas are visible to all players on the server. Entering a contested area automatically flags you for PvP. These areas tend to have lucrative resources available for players, hence the risk of PvP presence to fight over resources in that area. And loot player bodies too for some more risk and reward gameplay. Again these are marked on the map with red icons, with game mode slie Stronghold so PvE players can be more cautious about those areas and avoid them if they want to. Ideally, you want to go in there with your warband to coordinate the best you can.

Depending on if you’re on a PvP or PvE server, there’s big events that shake up. PvP servers get the Guild VS Guild type content for escort type missions other events like that. Meanwhile, PvE servers get the Prime War Boss, which is a server wide world boss to fight for events that occur.

Echo Stones and Territory Purification PvP events

In addition, players need to be aware of a few other PvP modes, which affect both PvE and PvP servers. There is an event called Territory Purification and Echo Stones.

Echo Stones will spawn on the map, and when they do, any player on the world server can go to those locations and fight from them. Upon acquiring that item, you will automatically enter Chaos mode, forcing you into PvP. The aim here is to bring that back to your base as fast as you can, and take it to a machine called the Stardust Resonant Filter. This starts the Territory Purification Event.

During a Territory Purification Event, players need to defend their territory while a timer ticks down. When the timer completes, players will get huge rewards, such as the limited weekly currency, Starchrom. This is part of the high risk and high reward for Once Human’s endgame.

Now, it’s important to note that in PvP, you’ll be flagged more naturally for a PvP event and not much changes. However, in PvE,  when Territory Purifications trigger, it means it’s the only time that enemy players can actually attack your property. This is important you’re aware of one of the few risks you actually have to your player-made base.

Once Human PvP vs PvE server differences

So, in summary here are the key differences between the server types

• Both servers have the Chaos player mode.
• Both server types require other players to toggle Chaos mode to engage in PvP. Shooting other players not in Chaos mode will deal 0 damage to them.
• Both servers have Echo Stones and Territory Purification events.
• Echo Stones automatically put the wielder into Chaos mode – the same rules apply based on server settings
• Territory Purification events on PvE servers enable the only time your player base can be attacked for a significant period.
• Two players with Chaos mode enabled can still attack each other’s base on PvE servers.
• PvP servers get more guild-focused PvP Events.
• PvE servers get more PvE coop events taking place.
• Both servers still get optional pvp zone objectives like Stronghold.

With that knowledge, you should hopefully have an idea if you want to roll on a PvP or a PvE server in Once Human. Again, PvE servers mean there’s a smaller risk of PvE, and you can largely avoid it, except for certain moments as part of some very end-game actions.